Man grabbed 12-year-old girl on way to Gosport school

Ben Fishwick

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POLICE are hunting for witnesses after a man grabbed a 12-year-old school girl this morning.

The girl was walking to school along Lanyard Drive in Gosport today at 7.30am when she was approached by a man driving a silver or grey vehicle.

The man left the car, walked toward the girl and grabbed her by the shoulder.

She was able to shrug off his grip and ran away uninjured, calling her mother who reported it to the police at 8am.

The suspect is described as white, in his 30s, around 5ft 10ins tall, with a grey short goatee style beard.

He was wearing a white baseball cap and a dark coloured jumper at the time.

Specialist officers are talking to the girl to get more details and providing support to her and family.

Officers and PCSOs from dedicated local safer neighbourhoods teams are visiting schools in the area to reassure local communities and to speak with parents, children and teachers.

Police said there is no evidence to connect it to an assault on a 17-year-old girl on Thursday, January 10 in Conifer Grove, Gosport.

Fareham and Gosport District commander chief inspector Darren O’Callaghan said: ‘Police are in the early stages of enquiries, and there is no evidence at the moment to confirm a link between this report or any other crimes.

‘Nevertheless, we are clearly concerned that this report is similar to an assault reported in Conifer Grove in Gosport on January 10 when two men in a silver car approached a 17-year-old girl.’

Anyone with information should contact CID at Fareham police station on 101.